Every Picture Tells a Story
by gladrags2012
Summary: St. Heart's had been selected to host a national schools art exhibition. What could possibly go wrong ?
1. Chapter 1

**The school hosts a national art competition. What could possibly go wrong ? Well, this is St. Heart's.**

"Now then, settle down everyone," instructed Mr. Flatley. Aneisha thought that this must be Mr. Flatley's favourite phrase. "Now, I have some exciting news," he announced. Aneisha doubted this very much. "We at St. Heart's have been chosen to hold the annual national schools art exhibition," said Mr. Flatley. "This is a great honour, and as the host school we are entitled to have our own section of the exhibition to ourselves. This is going to be an opportunity to display the best work that our students have to offer. It might indeed go some way to offset the rather disappointing set of GCSE results from last year. None-the-less, this is a golden opportunity to let your artistic side shine ! I want to see you producing your best artwork over the next four weeks so that we will be ready to display it with the best in the country !" he finished, with what he clearly hoped was his most inspirational expression on his face. In fact it was the usual expression of rather vague hopefulness.

As the class filed out for their next lesson, Zoe walked up to Dan. "Dan, what do you think we should do for the art exhibition ?" she asked, looking excited.

Dan looked across at her and smiled at her enthusiasm. "I don't know. You're quite good at art," he said. "Why don't you come up with something ?"

"I'll have a try," said Zoe. "What about you ? Are you going to enter something ?" she asked Dan.

Dan shrugged. "Don't know what I could do," he said. "I'm rubbish at art. You're way better. So's Aneisha and so's Tom for that matter. I think I'll sit out on this one."

"You're not rubbish !" said Zoe. "Give it a try. You might surprise yourself," she added.

"Yeah, well it might be a surprise," agreed Dan. "Just not a very nice one."

They were all called down to the basement at break. Frank announced that he had a mission, which would particularly require Tom and Aneisha's expertise. "There's a hotel in the city, which is used regularly by visiting foreign delegations. Apparently, things have been going missing," he explained.

"Don't the police deal with thefts any more ?" asked Dan.

"Ah, well, these aren't the sort of things that visitors particularly want to report to the police. In fact, they're things which aren't supposed to be here in the first place. MI9 uses this hotel to put up foreign agents passing through the country on training courses or visiting our intelligence teams when they're dealing with joint, international investigations," explained Frank. "We used to have specialist training camps to accommodate visitors, but these have mostly been closed as part of cost reduction exercises. Hence, they have to stay in normal hotels."

"So someone has found out about this hotel ?" asked Aneisha.

"It looks like it," agreed Frank. "We need Tom to infiltrate the hotel, posing as a likely target for theft. Tom will be carrying some specially adapted equipment which we want to be stolen so that we can trace it. Aneisha is going undercover amongst the housekeeping staff to see if she can identify any potential thieves."

"You mean, I'm going to be a cleaner again ?" asked Aneisha, sounding hacked off.

"Well, yes," said Frank. "Tom needs to act like a spy to make sure his stuff gets stolen."

"Do we need to do anything ?" asked Dan, gesturing between himself and Zoe.

"No, not really. You can act as backup on this one, here at base," said Frank.

As Frank continued giving more detailed instructions to Tom and Aneisha, Zoe leant across to Dan. "You could do some artwork while you don't have anything else to do," she whispered. The look on Dan's face didn't suggest joy at this suggestion. If Zoe had suggested he eat live snails, she would have got a similar response. Typically though, Zoe was so pleased at the prospect of being able to spend time on school activities, she didn't even notice Dan's lack of enthusiasm.

That evening, Tom was sent off to spend the night at the hotel. Dan took first shift in the basement, listening in to the action. It would be an exaggeration to describe what was happening as action. Dan would describe it as total inaction. Basically he was listening to Tom checking into a hotel and putting his things in his room before going down to the TV lounge. After only an hour, Dan was beside himself with boredom. He could now completely understand why Tom spent so much of his time in the base playing games and reading books. Nothing was happening. A whole lot of nothing. Surely it couldn't always be this boring !

Dan also had a screen showing the location of Tom's equipment. It was in his hotel room. It stayed in his hotel room. Dan was by now lying across the wheelie chair with his head hanging off the backrest and his legs stretched out in front of him. He spun the chair in circles, first in one direction and then in the other. He clicked his pen top. He scrunched up bits of paper and tried to toss them into the bin. He thought about biscuits, and then decided against it. He'd just get too fat to run away.

Dan looked around for a TV. There were computers. He wondered if he could get on to a streaming website and watch some old TV. He wondered if Frank would be annoyed if he watched TV. Frank got annoyed when Tom played games. Frank would probably get even more annoyed if he found Dan watching TV. Dan was supposed to be supporting his team. He was supposed to be paying attention. Finally, getting hyperactive with sitting still for so long, Dan decided to do some sit-ups. At least he could see the screen every time he sat up. That wasn't too bad was it ?

Dan had counted up to 58 when the lift doors opened and Frank came in. Frank looked at Dan lying down, sitting up, looking at the screen, lying down again, and couldn't help smiling to himself. Dan just wasn't capable of sitting still for lengths of time.

"How's it going Dan ?" asked Frank.

"Wha ?" said Dan, leaping to his feet. "Um, nothing's happened," he reported. He double checked the screens to make sure. Everything was exactly where it had been, for the last three hours.

"OK, well you should go on home now. I'll take over," promised Frank. "Zoe's got the morning shift. See you tomorrow !" Dan left the building feeling relieved. Still frustrated by sitting still for so long, he sprinted all the way home.

The next morning Aneisha began her first shift on the hotel's housekeeping staff. She had disguised herself by putting her hair up and had a small pair of round glasses on. Tom had once again left his equipment lying in his bedroom. Aneisha hung back so she couldn't clean Tom's room. After Dan had left, Tom had made a few secretive phone calls to Frank, to make it obvious he was a spy. They hoped this would encourage anyone to try to take his gadgets.

Aneisha shuffled towels around on her cleaning trolley, trying to keep an eye out for who cleaned Tom's room. She had to go inside rooms to clean, so left a tiny spy camera slipped between some towels focussed on Tom's door while she was out of sight. She was absent mindedly rubbing furniture polish over the wash basin when she heard Zoe's voice in her earpiece. "Aneisha, someone is going into Tom's room," she reported. Zoe was watching the picture from Aneisha's camera. Aneisha dropped what she was doing and dashed back out into the corridor.

She coolly walked to her trolley and pretended she was searching for something. She pulled her spy-pod out of her apron pocket and held it ready. A man came out of Tom's room carrying a laundry bag. He glanced around to see if anyone was watching and then headed off down the corridor to the staircase. "Got him !" whispered Aneisha. "I'm sending you the photo. Ask Frank if he wants me to follow him," she instructed Zoe.

"See where he goes Aneisha, but don't follow him beyond the area you are supposed to be in," instructed Frank's voice. Aneisha picked up some rubbish bags and headed for the stair well. She could hear the man's footsteps descending the stairs and she followed quickly. She lost sight of him, and dashed out of the back doors leading to the service area at the back of the hotel. A hand reached out and grabbed her arm.

"What do you want ?" hissed the guy who had gone into Tom's room. He was no longer carrying the laundry bag.

"What ?" asked Aneisha. "What's the matter with you ?" she demanded angrily. "I'm bringing the rubbish out aren't I ?" The man looked down at the bags she was carrying and started looking uncertain. Emboldened, Aneisha shook his hand off her arm. "If you don't mind ! I've got work to do !" she told him angrily. She walked over to the big bins, threw in her bags and returned through the back doors, dusting her hands off. The man watched her suspiciously.

Once she was back inside, she breathed out a huge sigh of relief. That was close ! She climbed the stairs, checking that the guy wasn't following her. "Zoe, did you get all that ?" she whispered. "The laundry bag he was carrying had disappeared. There might be a drop-off point around there or he's waiting to meet someone," she said.

She heard Frank tutting over the line. "I should have had someone watching the back of the hotel. You can't go out there again Aneisha. Finish off your duties and return to base," Frank instructed. "I'll get Tom to try to get a look out of the back. I'll see if I can get an MI9 mobile unit on it quickly."

Tom strolled through the kitchen area trying to look inconspicuous. It had to be said that this wasn't his strong point. He was attracting a lot of curious looks. He decided to brazen it out and act as if he knew where he was going. Finally, he arrived at some double doors at the back of the kitchens. He stepped out slowly, looking all around him. There were some large bins for waste food at the back, and they didn't smell too good. Tom gagged, before putting his handkerchief over his nose and mouth. He pulled out his spy-pod and used it to peer around the corner to the back of the building. He managed to get a view of a man standing around near another back door.

"That's him !" whispered Zoe's voice in his ear. "Stay there !" she instructed.

Glancing around him nervously Tom tried to see if anyone was watching him. As he looked back, a hand clamped on to his shoulder and pulled him around. "And just what do you think you're doing ?" demanded an angry voice.

"Busted !" said Tom quietly.


	2. Chapter 2

**The school hosts a national art competition. What could possibly go wrong ? Well, this is St. Heart's. I'm struggling a bit with this one, so it won't be going up so quickly. **

_Glancing around him nervously Tom tried to see if anyone was watching him. As he looked back, a hand clamped on to his shoulder and pulled him around. "And just what do you think you're doing ?" demanded an angry voice._

"_Busted !" said Tom quietly._

An tall, heavily built man wearing kitchen whites stood over him, holding a large meat cleaver in his left hand, and holding Tom in his right hand.

Terrified, Tom froze. "I'm, er," he stammered.

Then he heard Aneisha's voice in his ear. "Environmental Health Inspector !" she hissed.

"I'm the Environmental Health Inspector," said Tom, trying to sound confident.

"You were gathering evidence for the local office," instructed Aneisha.

"I've been collecting evidence for the local office," repeated Tom. "We've had reports of, erm," he trailed off.

"Rats," instructed Aneisha.

"Rats !" said Tom loudly.

"What ? Where ?" said the man, looking around him urgently. His grip on Tom's shoulder loosened and Tom took the opportunity to shake himself free.

"I've been gathering video evidence," said Tom, now gaining in confidence, and waving his spy-pod.

"Where are the rats then ?" asked the man, nervously staring all around him.

"Erm, haven't found any. Must have been a false alarm," Tom smiled disarmingly. "So, I'll report back then," he said, edging back towards the doors. The man stood watching him suspiciously. As Tom went through the doors, the draft of hot air blowing out pulled a piece of torn leaflet out of his pocket and he didn't notice it flutter to the ground behind him. The man picked it up and read, 'National Schools Art Exhibition, St. Heart's School …'. He looked at where Tom had disappeared and frowned.

Once back inside, Tom raced through the kitchens, and back into the public areas of the hotel. "Frank," he hissed. "I didn't get to see anything, I'm sorry," he said.

"Don't worry Tom. You did well," Frank assured him. "I've got a mobile MI9 unit on its way. Gather your stuff, meet up with Aneisha and I'll come and collect you both. Well done," he said.

Once back at school, the two agents met Frank in their base. Dan had arrived and Zoe was still there. They had looked at the footage taken by Tom and Aneisha's photograph. This had been passed on to the MI9 mobile unit, but they had missed the handover of the stolen equipment. Frank's screen was displaying a map with a moving dot. This was from the tracer he had planted in the equipment in case they lost sight of it. A buzzer sounded. "You'd better get up to registration," said Frank. "I'll keep watch on the equipment, don't worry."

"How was it then," Dan asked Tom as they headed to their classroom.

"Oh, not too bad. I got caught by this huge guy with a big knife," said Tom. "Scared the pants off me ! Luckily, Aneisha managed to come up with a cover story for me, so I got away alright in the end."

"Oh. Maybe you'll be wanting to work in the field more often then ?" asked Dan. He really hoped that Tom didn't. He didn't think he could cope with sitting in the base all day like Tom often did. Three hours had done his head in !

"No way. I need a rest after that one !" said Tom.

Dan smiled. "Oh, shame !" he said, not very convincingly.

When they arrived in their class, everyone was talking about the impending art exhibition. Aneisha was cornered by Melissa as soon as she went into the room. "Oh Aneisha, I was wondering, if we could maybe collaborate on something," suggested Melissa. Aneisha looked baffled.

"What were you thinking of Melissa ?" she asked.

"Oh, you know, maybe a collage of fashion items," said Melissa.

Aneisha thought about it. "I'm not sure I can think of anything on that theme," she said. She couldn't think of anything worse than trying to collaborate with Melissa on anything. The girl was a total control freak and Aneisha was pretty sure she would end up being Melissa's dogs-body. "Why don't you ask one of the others ?" she said, pointing to the group of girls that Melissa usually hung out with. Looking disappointed, Melissa wandered off to speak to the others.

"Looks like you got off the hook," Dan whispered to her.

"You'd better watch it !" said Aneisha. "She'll probably want you to model for her !" she joked. Dan went pale at the thought, and sat down quickly.

"Right class, settle !" instructed Mr. McNab, and he began taking the register as usual.

"Now," began Mr. McNab in an exasperated voice, "Mr. Flatley has made some changes to this week's curriculum in order to allow the students to complete work for the schools art exhibition." Dan noticed how Mr. McNab pronounced 'Flatley' with such contempt it sounded like he was being slapped in the face. A picture came into his head of Mr. McNab slapping Mr. Flatley with a wet fish. He had to struggle not to laugh out loud. Unfortunately it left him with a silly smile on his face which didn't go unnoticed by Mr. McNab. "Something amusing you Daniel Morgan ?" he demanded angrily.

"Erm, no Sir," said Dan, quickly wiping the smile off his face.

"Good, because I'm expecting a decent effort from you in particular Mr. Morgan," he announced. "All of Mr. Flatley's classes this afternoon are to be spent on your art project. I shall be inspecting to make sure you are producing serious work and not any old rubbish !" Mr. McNab almost shouted. "Class dismissed !"

Dan groaned as he stood to leave. Zoe looked at him in a puzzled way. "What's wrong ?" she asked. "You're getting to spend time painting. It'll be fun !" she smiled.

"I haven't got the first idea what to paint though !" complained Dan.

"Just use your imagination," said Zoe.

"I haven't got any !" complained Dan.

"What were you smiling about back there then ?" asked Aneisha.

"Oh, I was just thinking about Mr. McNab slapping Mr. Flatley in the face with a wet fish," explained Dan.

All three of the others looked hard at him. "And you said you have no imagination ?" said Tom with raised eyebrows.

"Well, I'm not painting that !" said Dan, shrugging his bag on to his shoulder and setting off for their first lesson.


	3. Chapter 3

**The school hosts a national art competition. What could possibly go wrong ? Well, this is St. Heart's.**

"_Oh, I was just thinking about Mr. McNab slapping Mr. Flatley in the face with a wet fish," explained Dan._

_All three of the others looked hard at him. "And you said you have no imagination ?" said Tom with raised eyebrows._

"_Well, I'm not painting that !" said Dan, shrugging his bag on to his shoulder and setting off for their first lesson._

The team met in the basement at lunchtime. Frank told them that the equipment had been tracked to a student hostel in the city centre. MI9 were going to infiltrate the hostel and track down the equipment. "Wouldn't we be better at getting into a student hostel ?" asked Aneisha.

"You could do it, but MI9 have put the work with one of the adult teams. Don't worry Aneisha there is bound to be another mission along in a minute," promised Frank. The buzzer sounded, Dan groaned, and they got up to leave. "What's the matter Dan ?" asked Frank.

"Art exhibition," said Dan, as he slumped into the lift with the others.

Dan was in no hurry to reach the art room, but Zoe was. "Come on Dan ! What do you like painting ?" asked Zoe.

"I don't really do any," said Dan. "I'm not any good at imaginative stuff."

"Well, how do you feel when you're running and jumping over stuff and somersaulting ?" asked Zoe.

Dan frowned and shrugged, "I don't know. I suppose I feel excited, like I can fly," he explained.

"Well why don't you paint that ?" suggested Zoe.

"How do you paint a feeling ?" asked Dan, totally baffled.

"Just give it a try," said Zoe, smiling at him. "I think you'll be surprised. You have got an imagination, you just don't realise it."

The art teacher had set up different types of materials around the room and told the students to select a station that they wanted to work at. Tom and Zoe selected some easels with paints. Zoe went to a table laid out with different coloured papers and materials for making collages. Dan couldn't decide and soon the only space left was at a table with a pile of sketching paper and coloured pastels. He shrugged and sat there.

Tom started enjoying himself laying out a fantasy world with figures acting out his favourite Blade Quest scenarios. Aneisha was creating a picture of computers and lights in a kind of mash up of the basement. Zoe was enjoying herself cutting up different colours and laying them out in a geometric pattern. Dan was sitting staring at a piece of paper, wondering what on earth to do. Finally, he picked up a coloured crayon, scratched his head and touched the paper. What had Zoe said ? What was the feeling he had when he was doing his parkour. It was like flying.

Dan took the crayon and made a long curving sweep across the paper. It left a bright orange curved line. Then he swapped for a red and decided he would do a somersault. He took the crayon and swept it up the paper and swirled it round in a spiral before bringing it down again. By now he was engrossed. The teacher passed and looked over his shoulder, but he didn't notice their look of surprise. Now that he had got into the swing of it, he tried some of his skateboard moves with twists and turns, balances and rocks. Finally, he sat back and looked at what he'd done. He looked in astonishment at the paper in front of him. It had to be the best thing he had ever done in art. He actually liked his own picture.

He felt a presence behind him and spun around. The teacher was standing behind him. "Well, Daniel, that's certainly unusual coming from you !" she said, smiling. "It's a great composition. Why don't you move on to the painting area and try to reproduce it in acrylics ? You will have the opportunity then to deal with the white space in some way."

Dan looked back at his picture and could see what she was getting at. He nodded and took his paper over to the painting area. Tom and Aneisha were surprised at the look of intense concentration on Dan's face. Art was not a place where they ever saw Dan looking so involved. He was more your solving mysteries, chasing bad guys kind of person. Zoe looked over and smiled at them. She was happily surrounded by bits of paper and covered in glue. Aneisha thought how odd it was to have a normal school day, doing normal school stuff for a change. She could get used to this.

Eventually, the bell rang for the end of school day, and they gathered their things to leave and headed for the lockers. The teacher told them to leave paintings on the easels to dry a little before she put them in the drying racks. After the students had left, Mr. Flatley followed reluctantly by Mr. McNab came into the room to see what the students had managed to produce. Mr Flatley went round everything exclaiming and praising what was on show. Mr. McNab walked round looking like he had just swallowed a wasp. He stopped beside Dan's painting. "Who did this ?" he asked.

"Daniel Morgan," replied the art teacher.

"Really ?" said Mr. McNab. "It's not bad."

Mr. Flatley came over to look. "It's not not bad, Mr. McNab, it's brilliant !" said Mr. Flatley. "I didn't know Daniel Morgan was good at art," he said to the art teacher.

The teacher shrugged. "Normally, he's too inhibited," she said. "For some reason, he let himself go today."

"Well, he let himself go at just the right time !" said Mr. Flatley. "We'll definitely have that in the exhibition. Don't you agree Mr. McNab ?"

"Yes," said Mr. McNab. He sounded surprised with himself.

"Oh, and Aneisha Jones, always good. Zoe London, yes, also good," he prattled on, working his way round the room admiring the pictures laid out. "Well, I think St. Heart's is going to be able to hold it's head up high with the best that the rest of the county has to offer !" he burbled happily.

The following day Frank reported back to the team on the previous day's raid on the student hostel. The MI9 agents had recovered the equipment which the KORPS agents had stolen and arrested a number of KORPS agents found handling the equipment. They had also recovered some other secret equipment which had been taken. The whole operation had been branded a success.

As they walked to their last class of the day the group looked out and saw a couple of lorries arriving in the school playground. "Wonder what they're here for ?" asked Aneisha. Her question was answered when boxes and what were obviously paintings in cases started being unloaded. The delivery men were all wearing identical baseball caps, even though it wasn't a sunny day. It must have been the company uniform.

At the end of the day they walked past the school hall on their way out. The door had a sign on it saying it was out of bounds to students. They chatted by the doors before Aneisha left, Tom wanted to collect something from the basement. Dan stood talking to Zoe for a while and then realised he'd left something in his locker. Saying goodbye to Zoe, he headed back to the lockers. The school corridors were now deserted. When he got to the lockers he heard voices. One of them was Tom's and he sounded scared. Frowning, Dan walked up to the corner and looked round. Tom was being pushed against a wall by two big scary looking guys. Dan pulled back and pulled out his pencil communicator. He called up Frank. "Frank ! Tom's in trouble. Corridor by the lockers !" he hissed into the pencil. He shoved it back in his pocket, dropped his bag and turned the corner.

"Hey ! What are you doing ?" he demanded. "You alright Tom ?" he asked. Tom nodded, looking scared.

"What's it to you ?" asked one of the men, letting go of Tom's shoulder and walking towards Dan.

"He's my mate," said Dan. "Leave him alone, or I'll call one of the teachers," he warned. The guy walking towards him grinned evilly.

"Ooh, one of the teachers Raoul. I'm scared !" he said. "They might give me dentention !" he snarled sarcastically, before lunging at Dan.


	4. Chapter 4

**The school hosts a national art competition. What could possibly go wrong ? Well, this is St. Heart's.**

"_What's it to you ?" asked one of the men, letting go of Tom's shoulder and walking towards Dan._

"_He's my mate," said Dan. "Leave him alone, or I'll call one of the teachers," he warned. The guy walking towards him grinned evilly. _

"_Ooh, one of the teachers Raoul. I'm scared !" he said. "They might give me dentention !" he snarled sarcastically, before lunging at Dan._

Dan swerved to the side and the man missed him. Dan kicked out, but the guy spun around and dodged his kick. The guy then placed his hand on the wall and spun his legs round, catching Dan in the side. "Aagh !" Dan was thrown against the wall and banged his head. Partially stunned, he staggered, trying to catch his breath.

"Dan, look out !" shouted Tom. Seeing Dan was getting into difficulty he punched upwards at the guy holding his shoulder, who was distracted watching his colleague fighting Dan. Tom caught him on the chin and he staggered back, letting go of Tom. Tom ran towards Dan meaning to help him fight off his attacker. He was too late to stop the man launching a kick at Dan's head. Dan managed to avoid a full kick in the face, but it caught him on the cheek and he grunted and fell to the floor. His attacker didn't see a furious Tom coming at him. Catching him off guard, Tom managed to get one good swing with his doubled fists at the guy's head. He knocked him sideways and the man fell to the floor.

The other guy had by now recovered and ran up behind Tom, grabbing him round the neck. Tom struggled, but couldn't get free. Just then Frank arrived. Frank saw Dan, trying to lever himself up from the floor and attacked the guy Tom had knocked sideways, sending him flying. The man holding Tom tried to use him as a shield, pulling him backwards away from Frank. Frank then swung his mop under their legs, knocking both Tom and his attacker off their feet. As he staggered, Tom felt the man's grip round his neck loosening. He elbowed the guy in the stomach and he immediately let go.

Frank pulled Tom away from his attacker and asked if he was OK. Tom nodded gratefully. Dan was now staggering to his feet. Tom's attacker spotted another opportunity and grabbed Dan round the neck. This time he pulled out a long knife and held it to Dan's throat. "Stop ! Stop or the kid gets it !" he threatened. Horrified, Frank pulled Tom back from trying to attack. The other man hauled himself to his feet.

"Come on. We get out !" gasped the man holding Dan. "We will get you little spy !" he hissed at Tom, pulling Dan along with him down the corridor and out of the side doors.

"Frank !" cried Tom. "We've got to do something !" They ran down the corridor to the doors to see where the men were going. Frank called Stella on his phone. "Stella ! We've got an emergency," said Frank. "Dan's been taken hostage."

"One of them was the guy from the hotel who I met outside the kitchens," said Tom. "He recognised me," he explained. "I don't know how they got here !"

"There's some connection with the mission at the hotel," explained Frank to Stella. "They must have somehow connected Tom with St. Heart's and the operation to recover the spy equipment." Stella promised to send a team of agents.

The two ran outside in time to see Dan being dragged towards a large white transit van in the playground. Frank ran after them. One of the men jumped into the driver's seat and the van roared into life. The second man, shoved Dan towards Frank before jumping into the passenger seat and the van roared off and out of the gates. Frank pulled out his phone again.

"We're on our way Frank !" Stella assured him.

"We've got Dan, but the KORPS agents are escaping," Frank panted. He told Stella the vehicle registration number and rang off. Tom had arrived and was supporting Dan who was sitting on the ground getting his breath back.

"Dan, are you OK ?" Tom asked. Dan nodded wearily and winced as he shifted position. He had a mark forming on his left cheek.

"You ?" asked Dan.

"Yeah, I'm fine," said Tom, although he still looked pale and scared. "Frank, Dan got kicked really hard," said Tom. "Can you get someone to make sure he's alright ?" he asked.

"Yes of course," said Frank. He and Tom took an arm each and helped Dan to his feet. He walked slowly over towards the school and Frank decided to set him down against the wall to rest. He called for MI9 paramedics to come and see to him. The paramedics were dealing with Dan, when Mr. Flatley came outside to see what was going on. Frank had a moment's panic thinking he would be caught out of character before realising he was wearing his caretaker's overalls.

"What's going on here ?" asked Mr. Flatley. "What's happened to Daniel ?"

Tom spoke up before Frank got a chance. "I was being mugged by these two guys when Dan came to help me. They beat him up instead," he explained. Frank shrugged. It wasn't a bad effort.

"Oh no, this is terrible ! Is he alright ?" asked Mr. Flatley. "Oh, I'd better contact his parents."

One of the paramedics spoke to them all in general, but directly to Frank's face. "He's taken a couple of hits. There's a blow to the body which we should take a closer look at. We'll take him in for a check-up," said the paramedic. Tom went with Dan in the ambulance. He was still feeling shaken, but mostly guilty that Dan had come off worst after saving him from the attackers.

"I'm really sorry Dan," said Tom, miserably.

"What for ? You didn't hit me !" said Dan quietly. The paramedic sitting with them smiled.

"If you all start attacking each other, I'm looking for another job !" he laughed. "You lot are dangerous !"

Tom half laughed, then said, "Not dangerous enough unfortunately." This made Dan laugh, which made him wince and groan. Tom reached over and held Dan's hand. He was surprised at how hard Dan squeezed his hand back. Tom glanced at the paramedic, worried at how much pain Dan was in. They smiled reassuringly at him.

"We're nearly there," said the paramedic to them both.

At the MI9 medical facilities, Dan was poked, prodded and scanned before he was left to rest in an examination room with Tom in attendance. A livid bruise was coming up on his cheek and Tom noticed that for once, Dan wasn't in any hurry to get up and run around. It was weird seeing Dan lying so still for once.

"You're going to have to be careful," said Dan, suddenly.

"Why ? What do you mean ?" asked Tom, puzzled.

"Those guys came looking for you," said Dan. "If they've got away, they might come again. You're going to need some protection."

Tom was mulling this over when Frank walked in. He smiled sympathetically at Dan. "Good news and bad news Dan," he said. "The good news is that there doesn't appear to be any serious internal damage. The bad news is that there is severe bruising and to be absolutely certain there's no serious damage, you're going to have to stay in overnight." Dan looked resigned.

"Did Stella manage to catch those guys who attacked Tom ?" asked Dan.

"Unfortunately no, not yet," said Frank.

"He's going to need some protection," said Dan.

"Yes, he is. Leave that with me Dan. I've got it covered OK ? You concentrate on resting," instructed Frank. "Come on Tom. I need to see you get home safely."

Frank and Tom left. Dan lay back into his pillows and tried not to move too much. He was worried that the men who attacked Tom would be coming back to try again.


	5. Chapter 5

**The school hosts a national art competition. What could possibly go wrong ? Well, this is St. Heart's.**

_Frank and Tom left. Dan lay back into his pillows and tried not to move too much. He was worried that the men who attacked Tom would be coming back to try again._

For the next three days, Tom wasn't allowed to spend any time on his own. He was driven to school and driven home. He wasn't allowed to spend any time hanging about outside the school. It was driving him mental. Dan was allowed home, but had to rest.

Finally, Dan returned to school with the inevitable letter excusing him from PE. For once, he didn't get any comments from Mr. McNab who had been told about the supposed 'mugging' by Mr. Flatley. After registration, Dan was surrounded by his unwanted fan club led by Melissa. They cooed over the purplish-green bruise on his face and wanted to know how he had fought off Tom's attackers. Dan wasn't sure what Tom had already said, so decided on saying as little as possible. This only resulted in them declaring he was the strong, silent type. Tom was watching the cluster of girls around Dan and felt jealous for a minute. It was hard to stay cross though when he could see Dan squirming in embarrassment.

Dan's saviour came unexpectedly when Mr. McNab came up to his desk and shooed the girls away. "Well, Daniel, as you've missed some more lessons, you'll have to catch up on some homework," said Mr. McNab, laying a small pile of papers on Dan's desk.

Dan puffed his cheeks and scratched the back of his head. "Oh well, I suppose I shall be missing PE. I can do it then," he said.

"That's the spirit !" said Mr. McNab, smiling and walking away.

"Are you feeling alright Dan ?" asked Aneisha, teasing. "I think that blow to the head has affected him," she said to Tom and Zoe. Tom grinned, but Zoe looked puzzled.

"Do you think so ?" she asked, looking worried.

"Zoe ! I'm joking !" laughed Aneisha.

Mr. Flatley came in for his first class. "Well, it's good to see you back Daniel after that unfortunate business. Now, the art exhibition will be opening at the end of this week. It appears that the first delivery of work was in fact not the exhibition. I really don't know what happened, but it turned out that all the packaging which arrived last week was empty. I have been assured that the artwork for the exhibition will be delivered today. I understand that the art department have been working on the presentation of your art works, which I must say are absolutely wonderful. So well done to you all. I'm really looking forward to a most enjoyable exhibition. To make it extra-special, the exhibition will be opened by the well-known artist Grimstone Parry," Mr. Flatley tailed off. "I understand that he makes knitted sculptures. Not sure I've ever seen one of them, but anyway, I'm sure they're jolly good. Now I think we'd better get on with the lesson. Just let me find my notes ..."

At the end of the lesson the class had PE, except of course for Dan, who was excused. He picked up his stack of extra homework and headed for the library. When he walked past the main hall, he saw the delivery team bringing in the art works for the exhibition. He tried to get a look at the people delivering the work. It was much easier to see their faces this time around. He didn't recognise anyone. There were sculptures and pictures on view this time too. There were a couple of really large sculptures made of scrap materials. Some of the paintings were pretty big. A projector was being set up for some kind of film show and there was a weird big lumpy knitted thing in the middle of the room. Satisfied that all was well, he carried on to the library. Perhaps Tom's troubles were over. Maybe this was going to be a restful week after all. What could possibly go wrong with an art exhibition ?

Dan spent an hour and a half in the library and managed to complete two of the assignments and was starting a third when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He glanced round to the door, having the feeling that someone was watching him. He sensed, rather than saw, somebody duck back behind the door. He stood and walked quickly to the door. He looked both ways down the corridor, but there was nobody there. It must be his imagination. Before he could return to his seat, the period bell rang for lunch.

It was great to be back with his friends at lunchtime. The previous few days had been boring at home. He'd watched a few of his old spy movies collection, but even they had got a bit samey after sitting at home for several days. You could have too much of a good thing. They chatted about normal school stuff for a while and then Dan asked whether Stella had caught the two men who'd attacked Tom.

They all looked round and leaned in towards one another as Aneisha explained that the van had been found empty and the two men were missing. "I think there are some lookouts posted around the school in case they turn up again," said Aneisha. "Frank thinks it's less likely since they've been spotted already. They'd have to be pretty crazy to turn up now, however upset KORPS were about having their spy kit operation being stopped."

"At least all four of us are here to keep an eye on things now," said Zoe. "We're keeping a lookout too. Tom's not on his own at any time. He should be safe with us."

"This exhibition opens tomorrow," said Dan. "There are going to be loads of outside people wandering round the school. You're going to have to be really careful Tom."

"Well, I'm not hiding in the basement again, like when BladeCon was on," said Tom. "That was the pits !"

"You weren't hiding," said Aneisha. "You were running the comms and control, remember ? We should check whether Frank's got anything planned."

Frank had plenty of things planned. When they went down to base after lunch, he briefed them on the next day's arrangements.

"Right team. Oh, welcome back Dan ! Tomorrow this place is going to be crawling with outsiders. We don't want a repeat of last week, so this is what we've done. Stella is going to be here with a party of visiting dignitaries. They're all MI9 agents whose job it is to keep a lookout for KORPS activity. You three," he said, pointing at Dan, Aneisha and Zoe, "are to stay with Tom at all times. He is never to be left on his own, not even for a minute. That includes eating, going to class and even going to the toilet."

"Well, I'm not going to the toilet with him !" said Aneisha.

"Well, obviously you're not going to the toilet with Tom," said Frank, sounding exasperated. "Dan will be going to the toilet with Tom."

"What if Dan doesn't want to go to the toilet at the same time as me ?" asked Tom.

Frank looked disbelievingly at Tom. "He's got to go 'with' you. He doesn't have to 'go' with you !" said Frank, sounding more and more annoyed.

"Yeah. We'll be side by side at the urinals Tom. You might have to wait a bit if I'm not quite ready," said Dan, completely straight-faced.

Zoe was looking as confused as Frank was looking frustrated. "Can't you just wait outside a cubicle ?" she asked Dan.

"Look !" shouted Frank. "It's perfectly straight-forward," he broke off, realising that Dan, Aneisha and Tom were falling about laughing. "Oh," he said, realising he'd been had. He straightened his tie. "Oh all right, settle down," he instructed.

Zoe was still confused. "I suppose I could stand outside the toilets, if Dan couldn't go for some reason," she offered. This time, even Frank couldn't help laughing too.

"It's all right Zoe. They were just winding me up," explained Frank. "Teasing !" he explained when Zoe still didn't get it.

"Oh !" she said.


	6. Chapter 6

**The school hosts a national art competition. What could possibly go wrong ? Well, this is St. Heart's.**

_Zoe was still confused. "I suppose I could stand outside the toilets, if Dan couldn't go for some reason," she offered. This time, even Frank couldn't help laughing too. _

"_It's all right Zoe. They were just winding me up," explained Frank. "Teasing !" he explained when Zoe still didn't get it._

"_Oh !" she said. _

The following day, Tom was driven to school by an MI9 agent again. They watched him all the way into the school doors. Dan was waiting in the hallway for him. "Hi Tom. Frank told me to wait for you," said Dan.

"I'm sure none of this is necessary," complained Tom.

"You feeling a bit over-protected are you ?" asked Dan.

"Yeah, a bit," admitted Tom.

"Yeah, well I would offer to be your bodyguard, but it went so well last time, I didn't think you'd need it," said Dan.

"OK. Point taken," said Tom. "We've still got classes haven't we ?"

"'Fraid so," said Dan.

At registration Mr. Flatley came in to explain that normal classes would continue until lunchtime. After lunch, the whole school was invited to the opening of the exhibition, along with the special guests.

After their first lesson, Tom had to inform the others that he needed to go to the toilet. "Yeah, me too !" said Dan cheerily. Zoe and Aneisha cracked up. Byron and Roly looked at them as if they'd lost the plot completely.

The boys' toilets were busy with it being the break between lessons. Dan kept his eyes open for possible trouble, but the room was filled with school kids as usual. The next lesson was with Mr. McNab. His was not a class to drift off in a daydream so the whole team had to keep their mind on the work in hand. At the end of class, Dan took the opportunity to hand in his two completed assignments. "You won't get the PE period this afternoon to complete the other pieces Daniel, so I'll accept those by the end of next week," Mr. McNab told him. "That should get you back on track," he added.

As the team headed for lunch, they noticed that the school was filling up with additional people. A large number of adults were gathering near the exhibition hall, along with various small groups of school children in a variety of school uniforms. "There are a lot of new people," said Zoe, sounding worried. "It's going to be hard to keep an eye on everybody."

"I guess we can rely on Stella and her team to do most of the work," said Aneisha. "We can just concentrate on staying with Tom. Are you OK now Dan ?"

"Well, not completely," admitted Dan. "My side is still bruised and I'm not supposed to do a lot of physical exercise yet. It's pretty boring." Zoe put her arm round his shoulders and gave him a squeeze. Dan smiled at her.

"Let me do the fighting," said Zoe.

"There might not be any fighting," said Dan. "This could just be a normal school art exhibition, with normal school visitors. Why not ?"

"Hello ! This is St. Heart's we're talking about here ?" said Aneisha. "The school which hosted a perfectly normal book convention which nearly turned into the end of the world ? The school where all the kids were turned into brain-washed, violent zombies ?"

"There was nothing normal about that book convention !" complained Dan.

After lunch, all the students were marshalled into the school hall, where they were directed towards the stage. The agents were looking around them, and noticed Stella standing to the side of the stage. Mr. Flatley was on the stage talking to a very tall man wearing an enormous knitted coat which trailed along the floor, covered in knitted animals and a huge, droopy knitted hat covered in knitted flowers. Dan stared at him in disbelief. "They're not serious are they ?" he asked, only to be shushed by Zoe.

"Don't be rude !" Zoe hissed. "It's artistic."

Mr. Flatley walked to the front of the stage. "Well, Good Afternoon everyone and welcome to St. Heart's for the National Schools Art Exhibition. We're delighted to be joined by so many distinguished visitors today, and without further ado, I would like to introduce our guest of honour, Mr. Grimstone Parry.

The man in the knitted coat walked to the front of the stage. "Good Afternoon everyone. It's always a privilege to be asked to come to exhibitions like these where some of the best young talent in the country get to exhibit their work to a larger audience and gain some recognition. I'm always pleased to see the work on show. We've brought one of my own sculptures along just for today for everyone to see. I'd like to wish everyone who is exhibiting today the best of luck, and who knows, we might be seeing more of your work in the future. I would therefore like to declare this exhibition open !" There was clapping and some cheering from the students and then a general buzz descended on the room as everyone started looking round the exhibits.

The four MI High agents all clung together in a group, and started circling the room warily. The first stands they came to were from their own school. Dan looked at Zoe's collage and Aneisha's imaginative take on the MI High base. "Wow, Aneisha, that's really clever," said Dan, admiringly.

"Thanks," said Aneisha. "I like Zoe's one." Zoe smiled at her.

"Yours looks great Dan," said Tom.

"Huh ?" Dan looked up to see his own picture in pride of place. He'd never had a picture in an art exhibition before. It felt pretty cool ! Then he felt someone breathing on top of his head. He looked round to find Grimstone Parry standing behind him. The man was incredibly tall !

"Is this yours ?" asked the artist, pointing at Dan's painting.

"Er, yes Mr. Parry," said Dan. He looked furtively sideway at the others. He didn't want to lose sight of Tom.

"Call me Grimmy. Very unusual composition. What was the inspiration ?" asked the man.

"It was about my parkour and skateboarding moves," explained Dan. He couldn't bring himself to call this huge man 'Grimmy'.

"Oh parkour ! Very interesting," said the artist, nodding. As he nodded, the knitted flowers and bobbles on his hat bounced up and down. Dan was having a hard time concentrating as they kept bobbing in and out of his line of sight. Mr. Parry might have said more had he not been kidnapped at this point by Melissa, intent on showing him her own work. Dan breathed a sigh of relief. Tom and the others had moved further on, so he hurriedly joined them.

The two girls stopped to look at a sculpture in the middle of the room, made out of scrap materials. "I find these things really creepy now, ever since that Odysseus machine came to life," said Aneisha, rubbing her arms. "I never know when they're going to get up and start walking around," she said.

"I know what you mean," said Zoe. "Hopefully, it's not a KORPS one though. The label says it comes from Cowdenbeath," she said.

"KORPS might be working in Cowdenbeath," protested Aneisha. "Hm, actually, no you're probably right," she mumbled.

Meanwhile, Tom and Dan had stopped in front of a large painting, with different sized rings in different materials stuck on. As they stood looking at it, Tom could have sworn he heard a faint clicking noise. "Did you hear that ?" he asked Dan.

"Hear what ?" asked Dan. "It's so noisy in here !" Dan was right. The noise level was rising steadily and soon it was difficult to hear each other speaking. They could hear Mr. Flatley shouting, trying to make himself heard above the din.

"Quiet !" yelled Mr. McNab. The room fell silent. That man had a voice like a foghorn.

"Ah, thankyou Mr. McNab. We've asked our guest of honour to switch on this exhibit which I believe is a moving image installation on the subject of family photography," explained Mr. Flatley. Smiling, Grimstone Parry stepped forward and flicked a switch on the side of the projector. It started to flash lights round the room, projecting different photographs on to the walls. It was pretty impressive and soon had everyone entranced, wondering where the next picture was going to come up. Without thinking, everyone walked backwards into the centre of the room, so they could get a better look. Dan glanced round to make sure he was still with Tom. He was still standing next to him. Someone started dropping the blinds at the big windows and then the lights went out.

There was an oohing and aahing as everyone watched the pictures being displayed on the walls. The displays started getting faster and faster. It was disorientating. Soon it was flashing on and off almost like a strobe lighting effect. Dan grabbed Tom's arm. "Tom, stay with me !" he hissed.


	7. Chapter 7

**The school hosts a national art competition. What could possibly go wrong ? Well, this is St. Heart's.**

_Someone started dropping the blinds at the big windows and then the lights went out. _

_There was an oohing and aahing as everyone watched the pictures being displayed on the walls. The displays started getting faster and faster. It was disorientating. Soon it was flashing on and off almost like a strobe lighting effect. Dan grabbed Tom's arm. "Tom, stay with me !" he hissed._

Suddenly, Tom called out. A hand had grabbed his shoulder and pulled him backwards. "Tom !" shouted Dan.

"Dan, is that you ?" called Zoe. It was hard to see properly in the room with the flashing light making everything look strange and every movement appeared to slow right down.

Dan had hold of Tom's arm, and pulled him back. "Zoe ! Help !" shouted Dan. Zoe managed to make her way over what was only a couple of metres of floor to where the two boys were standing.

"Someone's got hold of Tom," said Dan. Zoe immediately went to help Tom. She hit at the person who was holding him and they let go of Tom's shoulders. Zoe grabbed Tom's other arm. There was a blinding flash of light and then the room was plunged into darkness. Unable to see, after the flash of light, everyone stood still with their hands over their eyes.

Dan staggered slightly as he struggled to keep his balance. Suddenly he felt someone grab his arms and pull them behind his back. "What !" he shouted before a gag was pulled over his mouth. "Whmmph !" was all the noise he could make.

"Dan ?" he heard Zoe call his name, from further away. He was being pulled away from the rest of the group. Dan struggled, but felt his feet being lifted off the ground and then something cold touched the back of his neck.

"Sleepy time !" someone whispered in his ear. This was all wrong. They were after Tom. What was going on ? Dan felt dizzy and then nothing.

Inside the school hall, the lights suddenly came back on. Everyone looked around them. Aneisha could see Stella walking swiftly towards them, looking concerned. "Tom are you alright ?" asked Stella quietly.

"I'm, f-f-fine," said Tom. "Where's Dan ?" he asked.

"I called out to him. He disappeared !" said Zoe, looking distressed. They all looked around. There was no sign of Dan.

"Right, they can't have gone far," said Stella, all business. She touched her earpiece. "Agents, we've lost Agent Morgan. I want a full search !" Various people around the room started moving about purposefully. Some left the hall. "Tom, I want you and the others to stay with me. Clearly this was not just about getting hold of you after all. I should have considered Agent Morgan as well." Stella was obviously cross with herself.

Tom looked around desperately for some sign of Dan. There were the pictures on the stands and the sculpture made out of recycled parts. At the end of the room was the huge, lumpy knitted sculpture by Grimstone Parry. It looked slightly different, but Tom couldn't put his finger on what was different about it. This was no time to be thinking about the art. Dan was missing !

The crowd in the main hall gradually thinned. The MI9 agents, Frank and the MI High team combed the building in their search for Dan. He was nowhere to be found. A van came to collect the bit knitted sculpture from the exhibition. It had only been loaned for the opening of the exhibition and had to be returned to the artist. Tom folornly watched it being wheeled out into the school yard to be loaded on to a small lorry. Something was bothering him, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Stella and Frank came up behind him. "I can't believe they could spirit him out of the building without anyone seeing," complained Frank. "He's definitely not inside the school. We still have agents posted outside the school. Nothing has come in or out of the building since the exhibition opening."

"Well, nothing apart from that," said Tom, pointing to the sculpture disappearing into the lorry. The same thought came into three heads at the same time. "Oh no !"

"Stop that lorry !" shouted Frank as all three of them raced out of the building towards the lorry. The artist and one of the men loading looked up at the running agents. They grinned and then jumped into the lorry and it drove off. A hand reached out of the passenger window and waved to them.

Stella stopped and furiously tapped her earpiece. "All agents ! A small lorry has just pulled out of St. Heart's School yard. We believe that Agent Morgan may be on that lorry. Pursue and intercept, repeat, pursue and intercept !" she ordered.

Frank came back after running up to the school gate. A black van was setting off in pursuit of the lorry. "I've got the registration number," panted Frank. He tapped his earpiece and informed the agents of the registration they were looking for. "I can't believe it ! It was so obvious !" puffed Frank.

Tom looked at Frank in fear. "We're going to get him back aren't we ?"

"Yes we are !" said Stella. Clearly she was in no mood for failure.

Tom tried to quell the rising panic. He needed to think straight. "Frank, there's something I need to check," he said. Frank looked at him curiously. Tom walked back to the exhibition and started walking round searching for the painting that he had been looking at with Dan. "Which one was it ?" he asked himself. "Hm, this one I think." He lifted one of the paintings away from the wall to look behind it. No, it was the other one with all the circles ! Tom lifted the next painting from the wall and sure enough, there was something taped to the back of the picture. "Frank, look at this," said Tom.

Frank went over to look. "Aha, some kind of video interface," said Frank. "Good work Tom. Let's get it out." The two of them levered the camera device out of the picture. It had a round lens which poked through the picture and was disguised amongst all the others.

"I heard a sort of 'click' when I was standing looking at the picture with Dan," explained Tom. "I need to take this down to base. I want to know what happened to the picture it took," he said.

"I'll come and help you," said Frank. "There's nothing more I can do here." At this point, Aneisha and a very upset Zoe arrived.

"They've taken him haven't they ?" asked Zoe, almost in tears.

"Yes, I'm sorry Zoe. Tom's going to work a possible lead down in the base," explained Frank. "Could you two please get the crime kit and fingerprint for that supposed artist ? Check any of the areas that he touched. I want to find out who he really was." He wanted to give Zoe something to do, but it could also be useful information in finding Dan. The two girls nodded and headed for the base with Tom.

Frank sighed and looked anxiously to Stella. "We'll find him Frank. I promise," she said gently.

"You shouldn't promise things you can't deliver," warned Frank.

"I'm not," said Stella in a determined voice. She gave Frank a big hug. Of course Mr. Flatley arrived at just this moment to find them both in one another's arms.

"Oh, hello again Stella. I haven't seen you since the headmasters' conference. So nice to see you again," he said, as the couple hurriedly separated. Stella dusted herself down, nodded to Mr. Flatley and left. "What a lovely lady Frank. You're very lucky there," said Mr. Flatley.

"Yes, I am," said Frank. "Anything I can do for you Mr. F ?" asked Frank, slipping into his caretaker mode.

"Oh, nothing in particular. I'm sure you're on top of the cleaning after all these visitors," said Mr. Flatley. "We'll be having a few other school groups coming in to visit the exhibition over the next week, so I'm expecting rather a lot of extra traffic through the school. I thought I'd better warn you." With this, Mr. Flatley walked off to head for his office.

Frank watched him go and realised that they weren't out of the woods yet with Tom either. There were going to be lots of strangers coming in and out of the school for the duration of the exhibition. They couldn't afford to let down their guard for one minute. At the same time, they had to get Dan back. No pressure then !


	8. Chapter 8

**The school hosts a national art competition. What could possibly go wrong ? Well, this is St. Heart's.**

_Frank watched him go and realised that they weren't out of the woods yet with Tom either. There were going to be lots of strangers coming in and out of the school for the duration of the exhibition. They couldn't afford to let down their guard for one minute. At the same time, they had to get Dan back. No pressure then !_

Frank sneaked back down to the base. He was racking his brains to come up with a plan to get Dan back. They'd been lucky once. This time, their luck had run out. Zoe and Aneisha passed him, carrying the fingerprinting and DNA test equipment. The look on both their faces was determined and focussed. Down in the lab, Tom was hunkered over the computer. He'd connected up the camera device and was hacking into its workings. "Any luck Tom ?" asked Frank.

"Getting there. I've found the photos it took. I'm trying to work out where it transmitted them to," said Tom, distractedly. Frank looked at the picture on the screen. It was a photograph of Tom and Dan, staring into the camera. Frank glanced at Tom concentrating on his work and decided to leave him in peace. He would work better on his own.

Frank logged on to his email to check if he'd had any messages from Stella. There was nothing yet. Frank rubbed his hands over his face. He wondered what KORPS would do to Dan. He didn't dare discuss it with the team. Would they try to use him to get to Tom, or even MI9 ? Frank knew that Dan wouldn't give in easily, but nobody was indestructible. He hadn't ever lost one of his MI High team. 'Not yet', said a tiny voice inside his head. Fortunately his thoughts were interrupted by Tom.

"Got it ! Frank, I've found where the transmission went," said Tom, sounding excited. Frank ran over to look. "See," said Tom. He pointed to a long list of transmission points through which the signal had travelled. It ended up at a location not very far from St. Heart's.

"Oh, good work Tom !" said Frank, delighted. Just then Zoe and Aneisha arrived back in the base with the information they'd collected from the exhibition hall.

"We've got some DNA and good fingerprints," reported Aneisha. "We'll run it through the lab." The two agents went straight to work at the lab processing the DNA and fingerprint information. Frank got Tom's coordinates and phoned Stella.

"Stella, do we have anything on KORPS at this location ?" asked Frank. "Tom traced a signal from St. Heart's to a location where a photograph of him and Dan was sent." Stella checked with her team while Frank waited.

"We've got a match on the fingerprints Frank," said Aneisha. "They match some fingerprints found on a previous MI9 mission. We could do with a photograph of the guy."

"Got one !" announced Tom. He pulled up a picture of Dan and Grimstone Parry looking together at a painting. He focussed on the artist's face, which was partially hidden by his grotesque hat. Tom sent the picture over to the others.

"We've got some more information on Grimstone Parry," said Frank to Stella. "I'm sending it over." The team crowded round him, waiting for Stella's reply.

"Well, that isn't Grimstone Parry for one thing," reported Stella. "This is a picture of him. He's five foot five inches tall."

"No way !" said Aneisha. "This guy was huge !" They looked at the picture Stella had sent and he looked nothing like the man who had opened the exhibition.

"OK, you are right. The DNA and fingerprints match those of a suspected KORPS agent found at the site of another MI9 operation. That operation was searching for art thieves. It was thought they were stealing artworks to order for some unknown person or persons. We don't know why KORPS would involve themselves in that type of work. OK, the location found by Tom. It's a large mansion house out in the countryside. I'm getting the team to find out as much about it as we can."

"Well aren't we just going to go there and get Dan back ?" asked Zoe. "Why are we waiting ?"

"We need to prepare Zoe. If we rush in, we could fail and lose Dan again, or even worse, get him killed," explained Frank.

"They could be doing anything to him !" said Zoe. "They won't wait until the morning. KORPS don't work office hours. They'll hurt him," she broke off, turning to Aneisha who hugged her close.

"Zoe's right Frank," said Tom, looking pale. "We can't wait until the morning. They could be gone by then. Dan could be gone .." he stopped speaking.

Frank knew he should argue with them, but in his heart of hearts, he agreed with them. He didn't think they had much time. He couldn't have told Stella why he thought so, but he knew they had to act quickly. "Stella," he started.

"I know Frank. I'll get as much about that mansion house as I can, but I think that your team are probably correct. I don't think we have much time either. They're going to try to get as much information out of Dan as quickly as possible," said Stella. "I'm going to arrange backup for you, but I don't suppose there's any point trying to keep you off the mission is there ?"

"No, there isn't," said Zoe, sounding determined. The others nodded in agreement.

"OK team. Get ready !" ordered Frank. They split and got to work.

Dan woke up slowly. His mouth was gagged and his hands were tied behind his back. His legs were strapped at the ankles. The floor was bumping and vibrating, making the bruise on his side ache. It felt like he was moving. He was lying in complete darkness. Something soft and hairy kept brushing against his face and the air was stuffy. It was as if he was lying underneath something.

Finally he felt the vehicle coming to a halt. He heard the doors opening and the large mass over the top of him was moved and a blast of cool air hit his face. He realised he'd been lying under the large knitted sculpture. "Well, well. Awake are we ?" asked a familiar voice. The tall figure of Grimstone Parry, minus the woollen outfit, stood over him. "Bring him in and get him ready !" instructed Parry.

Two men appeared and dragged him roughly out of the lorry before carrying him through a door and along some corridors. Finally, he was put in a chair with a single light shining on it in the middle of a dark room. His hands were untied and strapped to the arms of the chair. His ankles were also strapped to the chair with leather straps. It looked as though the chair had been made for this purpose, although it looked quite old to Dan. The men left him and disappeared into the darkness, although he didn't hear them leave the room.

The drowsiness of the anaesthetic he'd been given was wearing off rapidly. The adrenalin from his state of terror was seeing to that. After a short time, a door opened and closed and someone pulled a chair up in front of him. It was Parry.

"So, I believe you are Daniel Morgan," said Parry, sitting on the chair, with its back facing Dan. Parry rested his arms on the back of the chair and placed his chin on top. "Welcome to Radius. Remove the gag !" he instructed. Someone came up behind Dan and untied the gag. Dan moved his jaw about and ran his tongue around his dry mouth. Dan didn't know what was coming next, but he was sure he wouldn't enjoy it.

"So, MI9 is using children for agents now. How novel !" said Parry, mockingly. "I don't believe I have interrogated someone as young as you before. Let's see how we get on shall we ? Radius is the collecting arm of KORPS. You and your young friend interrupted our supply of spy equipment. My agents were collecting them from the hotel which the secret services were using. You have caused us considerable inconvenience and I wish you to tell me what I need to know to close down your operation." Parry paused and stared at Dan. Dan said nothing.

Parry continued, "Let me introduce you to my own personal collection. Lights !" ordered Parry. The lights came on to illuminate a world of nightmares. Dan looked around him in horror. The room looked like a museum exhibition of torture equipment. Some things he recognised, but with others he could only guess at what they were. The wall was hung with whips, chains and all kinds of weird devices. Boy was he in trouble !


	9. Chapter 9

**The school hosts a national art competition. What could possibly go wrong ? Well, this is St. Heart's.**

_Parry continued, "Let me introduce you to my own personal collection. Lights !" ordered Parry. The lights came on to illuminate a world of nightmares. Dan looked around him in horror. The room looked like a museum exhibition of torture equipment. Some things he recognised, but with others he could only guess at what they were. The wall was hung with whips, chains and all kinds of weird devices. Boy was he in trouble !_

It was starting to get dark when Frank drove Tom, Aneisha and Zoe out from MI9 headquarters. Frank hadn't wanted Tom to come with them, but he had insisted. Tom was clutching his laptop to himself as if it was some kind of bullet-proof vest. Aneisha and Zoe sat in silence. They each had a look of determination on their faces. Frank suddenly felt very proud of them.

Stella had provided them with information about the defences of the building they were trying to infiltrate. It was surprising how KORPS could install electrified fences with impunity when most people couldn't build a front porch without permission. He supposed your average international criminal organisation wasn't big on asking for permission. Stella was also personally providing control and communications which was normally Tom's role. Frank knew they were in safe hands. He trusted Stella with his life.

Shortly they arrived at the edge of some woodlands. It was now completely dark and it was starting to rain in a gentle drizzle. Everyone got out of the van and collected their equipment. They put on night vision goggles, headsets and cameras and put on their backpacks. Frank let Stella know their position. "The backup group are now in position Frank. Good luck all of you !" said Stella.

The four of them looked at one another and then Aneisha took out her GPS and set off through the woods towards the house. After walking for a good half hour they reached the electrified fence. "We can't switch off the electricity without triggering an alarm," whispered Tom. "Stella found out a lot about the defences from the people who supplied most of the parts. I've cobbled this together with Frank." Tom pulled a set of wires and large crocodile clips from his bag. He and Frank put on insulated gloves and each took one end of a thick wire with the crocodile clips on. "Ready Frank ?" asked Tom. "After three, One, Two, Three, now !" and they simultaneously clipped their end of the wire on to the fence. They repeated the process six times, working their way down the fence. Finally, Tom picked up the loose wires, wrapped tape around them and taped them higher up the fence, so they were out of the way.

"Right, let's see if it worked," said Frank, pulling out some big wire cutters. He cut a large hole into the fence, inside the area separated by the crocodile clips. Tom was monitoring the current flowing through the fence.

"It looks like it's working Frank," said Tom, sounding excited. "Any activity Stella ?" asked Tom.

"No sign of the alarm being raised. It looks like your plan worked Tom," said Stella's voice over their headsets.

"OK. Now the really dangerous bit. We have to look out for mines and listening devices," whispered Tom. "Especially the mines !"

"Silence from now on everyone," said Frank. "When Tom isn't detecting any more devices, we can start talking again. Understood ?" he asked. Everyone nodded. Tom pulled out another odd gadget from his backpack and crawled through the hole in the fence. He started scanning in front of him, then gave the thumbs up to the others. They followed him through the gap in the fence.

Tom lead them through the scattered trees across the grounds towards the big house in the distance. They walked slowly in single file behind Tom, who was scanning in an arc in front of him. Several times he held up his hand and stopped, before walking carefully to one side. They followed precisely in his footsteps. A wrong step could result in disaster. They were almost half way to the house when Zoe tapped Tom on the shoulder. She stopped him and pointed in the direction they were headed. He was leading them across an open field in front of the house. She then pointed him towards some shrubs and trees to the side of the house which were not in view of the house windows. Tom nodded his understanding and changed direction, towards the tree cover. He had been concentrating so hard on his screen, that he hadn't noticed where he was taking them.

Finally, Tom was unable to detect any further devices. There were no more mines or hidden microphones and they were about 50 metres from the big house. The team crouched under some shrubs and took a good look at the building in front of them. "Stella, we're outside the building," whispered Frank. "Have you found any plans ?"

"Yes, they've just come through from the heritage people," she said. "Plans were filed a few years ago for alterations and repairs. There are basement corridors which were originally put in for the servants. You would probably do best trying to get access through a basement door which is on the north-west corner of the house, behind the stables. They've been converted into garaging. I'm sending the plans we have through to your spy-pods."

"Right, let's find it," whispered Frank.

"Remember Frank. If you want the troops, they will take about five minutes to get there. Give me the codeword in time when you want them," warned Stella.

"I haven't told you the codeword," whispered Frank, suddenly remembering.

"Frank !" said Stella, sounding exasperated. "You always use the same one !"

"Oh, do I ?" asked Frank. Tom, Aneisha and Zoe all nodded. "Oh, well, the usual then," said Frank.

They crept carefully towards the house. Hearing footsteps coming across the gravel, they pressed themselves against the shadows of an outbuilding. A man carrying a torch walked past them, looking around all the time. He was obviously on some kind of security patrol. Once he was safely past, Frank waved them towards the stables. Keeping in the shadows they circled the building and came to some steps leading down to a door below ground level. Tom scanned the door, before typing some instructions into his laptop.

"I can open the door for seven seconds before it sets off an alarm OK ?" whispered Tom. The others all nodded and lined up beside the door. "After three, One, Two, Three, now !" whispered Tom. The door clicked, Frank turned the handle and they each dashed inside as quickly as they could before Frank closed the door again. After a fraction of a second they heard the door click softly once again. Tom breathed a huge sigh of relief. He stowed the laptop back in his bag and pulled his spy-pod back out.

They were at the end of a long underground corridor, lined with high windows. It felt cold and clammy. "They didn't waste any comforts on the servants did they ?" whispered Aneisha. There were doors leading off the corridor. They each tried a handle and the doors opened onto what looked like storage rooms filled from floor to ceiling with crates and boxes. After meeting nobody in the underground complex, they came to some stairs leading upwards. Frank handed Aneisha and Tom a taser each. Tom handled his nervously before putting it into his pocket. He needed both hands for the spy-pod. Also, he'd never handled a weapon in a real mission situation. He'd only fired them at dummies in training camp. The thought of hurting a real person made him feel queasy.

They climbed the stairs and Tom scanned the door. There was no lock and it didn't appear to be alarmed. He nodded to the others and Aneisha slowly turned the handle and peered out. The coast was clear. They all dashed out into a large hallway. There were several doors leading off the hallway and a large staircase leading up. Footsteps could be heard coming down towards them. They looked round in a panic for somewhere to hide. Frank pulled open a door under the staircase and they all squeezed into a fairly small cupboard. "Now I know how Harry Potter felt !" complained Aneisha, bent double between Tom and Zoe. The others shushed her.

Frank opened the door a crack to hear what was going on. Two men were talking. "I thought we'd be closed down for the night by now. Where's the boss anyway ?" asked one voice.

"He's interrogating that kid they brought back this afternoon," said the other man. "He's got him up in the Gallery. He's been in there a couple of hours now. Won't be much longer, one way or another."

"Rather him than me !" said the first man. "That place gives me the creeps."

"Yeah, me too," said the second man. "Come on. The lads are having a game of cards in the kitchen. We can draw lots for who cleans up after the boss has finished with him."

"I aint digging no holes tonight !" complained the first man.

"You'll do what you're told, or you'll end up in the Gallery !" said the second man.

"Fair point," said the first and their voices faded as they walked away.

"Where's the Gallery ?" asked Frank urgently. Tom managed to get his spy-pod in front of his face.

"It's upstairs on the first floor, off to the left from the main landing," said Tom. "Not far," he added. Frank opened the door and listened for footsteps or voices. There was nothing. The house was quiet. One at a time they carefully exited the understairs cupboard and closing the door behind them, headed up the staircase, as quickly and quietly as they could. Zoe's feet made no sound, but the others seemed to land on a squeaky floorboard with every step.

At last they arrived at a door with a sign on it saying 'Gallery'. Gently Frank opened the door and they stepped inside. For a split second they stood rooted to the spot in utter horror at the scene in front of them.


	10. Chapter 10

**Well, thanks to everyone who reviewed, and I'm sorry to keep you in suspense. It's a bit nasty, so don't read it if you don't like that sort of thing. Sooooo,**

_At last they arrived at a door with a sign on it saying 'Gallery'. Gently Frank opened the door and they stepped inside. For a split second they stood rooted to the spot in utter horror at the scene in front of them._

Parry seemed to be sizing up Dan. "You like parkour do you ? I imagine it's a useful hobby for a trainee spy," he drawled. Dan felt like shouting out that he wasn't any trainee spy, but he realised that Parry was just trying to bait him, to make him talk. He wasn't going to say anything. He would rather die than put his team in danger. Gathering all of his determination, he stared straight back at Parry in silence. At least that way, he didn't have to look at his grim surroundings.

"Well, I haven't had a chance to try all of my equipment. We don't often have visitors," said Parry, leaning back and looking round. "Now then, what have we recently acquired ? Ah, the ducking chair. Bring him over !" ordered Parry. He stood up as Dan was released from his wooden chair by the two henchmen and pulled across the room towards a metal chair suspended from chains from the ceiling. He was pushed into the metal chair, his wrists bound and a metal bar pulled across his waist, locking him into a seated position.

"Now, this is fascinating," explained Parry, rubbing his hands together gleefully. "This is a genuine 14th century German ducking stool. There aren't many of these left. You are very privileged to be experiencing this marvellous device. They were mostly used to obtain confessions from suspected witches and it was very effective apparently. Those who confessed were then burned. Those who didn't confess usually drowned," he said in an offhand way. "Wind it up !" he ordered his men. The two men started winding a handle next to a large wooden barrel. The chair lifted off the ground until Dan's feet were above the height of the barrel. He looked down and saw that the barrel was full of water. The men swung Dan over the top of the barrel and started to lower him into the water. It was freezing cold. They stopped lowering the chair once Dan was in the water up to his shoulders.

"Now would be a good time to tell me the name of the organisation you work for !" ordered Parry. Dan shook his head. "Down gentlemen," instructed Parry and slowly Dan's head sank below the water. Dan's chest was burning before he was lifted painfully slowly out of the water again. Coughing and spluttering Dan sat helplessly, trying to get his breath back. "MI6, MI9 ?" asked Parry. "We will continue until you tell me what I want to know," he said. "Again !" Once more Dan's head was lowered under the water.

Dan lost count of how many times he nearly drowned in the barrel. Finally he woke up shivering, wheezing and coughing on the floor. His chest hurt and he felt weak and cold. His school tie had gone. He was lifted up by the arms and dragged to the wooden chair once again. "Now. I think it's time you tried out another of my little beauties," said Parry. "You really are turning out to be a wonderful sport ! There's so much for you to try here. Let's see. The wheel !" Once again Dan was dragged across the floor, but further down the room to a large wooden wheel. The men tied his wrists and ankles to the outer rim of the wheel.

"Now, this one is really rather imaginative," said Parry. "Simple really. Off we go," said Parry cheerfully.

One of the men pulled a lever and the wheel started to spin. After only a few turns, Dan was feeling horribly dizzy. The wheel spun faster and he started to feel sick. Suddenly they stopped, but he felt like the whole room was still spinning. He retched and someone put a bowl under his head. Once he'd stopped being sick, the bowl was removed and the spinning resumed. It went on and on. His head felt like it would explode. Parry didn't seem to be asking him any questions now. Dan wondered if he was just being played with for fun. He started wishing that Parry would ask him something. He desperately wanted it to stop.

Once again Dan woke up on the floor. His head was pounding and he felt like the floor was rotating around him. Parry's face swam into view. "Who do you work for ?" he asked quietly.

"MI9," muttered Dan.

"Well done. And who is Tom ? What is his full name ?" asked Parry. Hearing Tom's name snapped Dan back to reality. What was he doing ? He couldn't give Tom away. What would they do to him ? Dan closed his eyes and shook his head very slightly. "Ah, shame. You were doing so well too ! What next ? Ah, my favourite. The rack !"

Dan was hauled across the floor again to another large wooden machine. His body was lifted on to a flat wooden bench and his wrists and ankles strapped into leather loops. The two henchmen then turned wheels at either end until he was pulled straight on the centre of the board. In his partial state of shock, Dan was struck with how ludicrous this was. It was like a scene from some spoof horror film. All it needed was for Parry to start playing crazy organ music in the shadows and laugh maniacally. Unfortunately, this was not a film, and Dan wasn't going to wake up any time soon from this nightmare. He wondered if he was going to die. Who was he kidding ? He wondered when he was going to die.

"Tom Who ?" asked Parry. Dan gulped and shook his head. "Tighter please !" ordered Parry. Dan felt his body stretch. The straps on his ankles and wrists bit into his flesh.

"You are probably aware that eventually, this will dislocate your shoulders and hip joints," said Parry. "You won't be doing any more parkour. Although we may kill you eventually of course," he said leaning over Dan's face. He held a whip with many strips of leather. "Cat o' Nine Tails !" said Parry gleefully. "Ever seen one ?" Dan shook his head. "Tom ?" asked Parry. When Dan didn't answer he ordered the men to turn the rack. Dan grunted at the strain along his back. Dan was starting to feel light-headed. The whip hit him and he screamed out loud. As if from a great distance he heard shouting.

When Frank opened the door and the team stepped through they saw the man who had pretended to be Grimstone Parry holding a multi-tailed whip. There was a scream and he looked in horror at the scene in front of him. Dan was tied to a medieval type of torture rack and his stomach and chest were bleeding from the whip cuts.

"Why you .." hissed Frank. Parry spun round to face them. Instantly, Zoe hurtled forwards, somersaulting towards Parry. Her flying feet caught him full in the face, throwing him back on to the floor. The tall man hit the wooden floor with a crash. She grabbed the whip and hit Parry with it several times. He screamed and tried to fend her off with his arms. The two henchmen grabbed weapons and came out to deal with the small group. "Double Jalapeno Peppers !" shouted Frank. The two men paused for a split second and stared at him, baffled. Aneisha and Tom pulled out their tasers. In a fury, Tom took aim and tasered the man on the left. Aneisha hit the man on the right. The men fell to the floor, twisting and twitching. Tom ran forward and turned the wheels on the rack, so that it slackened off the tension. Dan lay limply on the bench unmoving.

"Dan ? Can you hear me ?" asked Tom gently. There was no answer. Dan lay shivering, dazed and staring into space. They heard the sound of feet thundering up the stairs.

"Get ready team !" instructed Frank. They stood side by side, facing the door. The door burst open and two men rushed in. Tom and Aneisha tasered them both. The tasers were recharging as two more men ran in. Zoe calmly walked up to them and started knocking seven bells out of them. She kicked and chopped like a fury, working her way through the growing throng of KORPS agents. Soon there was a pile of unconscious bodies around her feet. Tom and Aneisha tasered as many men as they could once their weapons had recharged. Frank had to take on Parry, who was struggling, bleeding from the floor. Frank kicked him unconscious and tied him up with his whip. At least it would stop Zoe using it on him, although Frank was tempted to let her continue, considering the state of Dan.

After what seemed like an age, they heard the front door being blown off by an explosion. MI9 agents started pouring into the building. Stella ordered them upstairs to help Frank's team. Soon there were no more active KORPS agents. Zoe ran over to Dan. She cradled his head in her arm and stroked his soaking hair. "It's OK Dan. You're safe now. We're here," she told him, kissing him on the forehead. Aneisha left the room and returned with a large red and gold blanket. They were wrapping it around Dan when Parry woke up.

"No ! That's a precious artifact ! How dare you ! It will get all bloody," he complained. Zoe turned and kicked him on the chin, knocking him out cold.

"Take him away !" ordered Frank. Some of the MI9 agents dragged him from the room.

"Can we get Dan out of this room please Frank ?" asked Zoe. Silent tears were rolling down her face. "This place is hateful," she said.

Frank got some of the other agents to help him lift Dan onto a board and carry him into a nearby bedroom where they slid him on to a bed. Frank quickly examined Dan. His pulse was erratic and weak. He appeared to be conscious but in a state of shock. "Stella," Frank started, his voice breaking.

"I've sent the ambulance already Frank," said Stella gently. "Don't worry about the mission. I've asked the other agents to handle the processing of the building. You look after your team," she instructed.

"Thanks Stella," said Frank. Zoe was half lying beside Dan on the bed, cradling his head in her arm, stroking his hair and speaking gently. Aneisha and Tom stood side by side, staring at the other two teens. Frank stepped between them and wrapping his arms round their shoulders, pulled them into a hug. "The ambulance is coming," he whispered to them.


	11. Chapter 11

**OK. The moral is, never admit that you've finished the last chapter ! **

**Thankyou for all the lovely reviews. Somebody pointed out that I keep on beating up Dan. This is true. There are only so many skateboarding accidents one person can have. I'll have to think of something else. I may be a while.**

_Zoe was half lying beside Dan on the bed, cradling his head in her left arm, stroking his hair with her other hand and speaking gently. Aneisha and Tom stood side by side, staring at the other two teens. Frank stepped between them and wrapping his arms round their shoulders, pulled them into a hug. "The ambulance is coming," he whispered to them. _

After a minute, Dan's eyes seemed to focus on Zoe's face. He turned to her and started sobbing. Zoe pulled him into a hug and held him tight. Frank released a long held breath.

By the time the paramedics arrived, Dan had started coughing. They checked him over and said he had some water in his lungs. Zoe looked imploringly at Frank as Dan was loaded onto a stretcher. "You go with him Zoe," said Frank. "I'll bring the others." Frank glanced at Tom who looked nearly as pale and shocked as Dan did. Aneisha didn't look too cool either. Considering how he felt himself, this should be no surprise. He'd seen a lot of nasty things working for MI9 but this place really topped them all.

At the hospital, Zoe was asked to leave Dan while the doctors treated him. This gave Frank an opportunity to get all of the teens checked out by the medical staff. Unsurprisingly both Tom and Aneisha needed treatment for shock. Zoe seemed to have been kept going by her concern for Dan and the fact that she was more used to KORPS's harsh treatment after her years of captivity in SKUL.

They were all sitting in a waiting room drinking hot drinks when Stella arrived. "How are you all doing ?" she asked sympathetically. "Tom you turned out to be something of an action hero, judging by the footage I was watching," she said.

"Really ?" said Tom, looking surprised. "I was so angry, I didn't really think about it," he said.

"I think you all did very well in a difficult situation," said Stella. "That place was unbelievable ! I've never seen anything like it."

"I hope I never see anything like it again !" said Aneisha with feeling.

"I think that goes for all of us," said Frank.

"Our agents have started taking the place to bits," continued Stella in a conversational tone. "It was packed with a huge variety of artworks and artefacts from around the world. So far, everything we've investigated has been stolen. It seems that this section of KORPS was charged with thieving on an industrial scale. The man posing as Grimstone Parry isn't talking. I was hoping that he might have said something to Dan. I'll see how he is when the medics have finished."

"Is he going to be alright ?" asked Aneisha. "I mean, he's been tortured."

"I think Dan is a very strong person," said Stella. "He obviously hadn't told Parry what he wanted to know when you arrived. If he has support from all of you, he can get through this. MI9 will give him any support he needs, but I think it is your friendship which is going to make the biggest difference."

Frank looked at Stella gratefully. She was basically counselling his team, and doing it very well. He looked round at the teens who were all looking gravely at Stella. "We'll do anything for him," said Zoe. Aneisha and Tom nodded in agreement. At this point a doctor came in to tell them that Dan had been treated and was resting. They could see him when they wanted.

Stella held up her hand as they all leapt to their feet. "Frank ! All of you, would you please do me one big favour and let me speak to Dan first ? I promise I won't be more than ten minutes." They all looked at one another and nodded in puzzlement.

Stella walked into Dan's hospital room. He was lying in his bed, propped up on some pillows. He looked exhausted and weak. "Dan ? I've asked the others to wait a minute or two before they see you. I hope you don't mind ?" she asked him gently. He looked at her and shook his head slightly. Stella pulled up a chair and sat beside him. "I need to ask you a couple of questions Dan, and then I'll leave you with your friends OK ?" Again Dan nodded. He seemed too tired to question her actions.

"Parry tortured you, yes ?" she asked. Dan nodded. "Can you tell me what he used please ?" she asked.

Dan looked away from her face. Stella reached out and took hold of his hand. "I'm sorry I have to ask you Dan, but if I ask you then nobody else will have to do it. Do you understand me ?" she asked. Dan looked back at her. His expression showed his understanding.

"Frank," he murmured.

"Yes, Frank," said Stella, smiling gently at him.

"He used the ducking chair into the barrel of water, then the big wheel and then the rack," said Dan. He closed his eyes, as if to block out an image in his mind.

"Thankyou Dan. You're doing brilliantly," Stella encouraged. "What did Parry want to know ?"

"He wanted to know what organisation I worked for so he could close it down and he wanted to know about Tom," said Dan. "I told him I worked for MI9, but I didn't tell him anything else," he added.

"He knows nothing about Tom ?" asked Stella.

"No, just that he's called Tom," answered Dan.

"Did he tell you anything ?" asked Stella.

"He said he was in charge of Radius and that he was in charge of 'collecting'," said Dan. "The torture stuff was his own collection." Dan sank back into his pillows. "You won't tell Tom will you ? He'll feel guilty."

"I won't say a word to Tom. I promise. We'll just say that they were trying to find out about MI9 shall we ?" said Stella. Dan nodded.

Stella took his hand in both of hers. "Dan, I want you to know that you have been incredibly brave. Not many of our agents have ever faced what you faced today, and even fewer could have held their own like you did. You're going to have a difficult time coping with what happened to you. I want you to use everything that MI9 offer you to help you cope. Your friends desperately want to help you and you must let them. Do you understand me ?" she asked very gently. Dan looked fearfully into her eyes.

"I don't know if I can .." he tailed off.

"Dan, you looked after your friends today and now it is their turn to look after you. Please let them," implored Stella.

"OK," whispered Dan after a pause.

"Promise ?" asked Stella.

"Promise," whispered Dan.

Stella held out her little finger. "Pinkie promise ?" she asked. Dan laughed slightly and held up his little finger for her to hold.

"Pinkie promise," he said.

Letting go of his finger, Stella smiled at him. "I'll see you later Dan. Get well."

When Stella left the others came rushing in. "Dan ! Oh Dan," said Zoe, rushing over to his bed and throwing her arms around him. Dan felt the warmth of her body against his and smelled the scent of her hair. It was wonderful. It struck him suddenly that he was alive. Not long ago he had been waiting to die.

"I'm so glad you came .." said Dan. Unable to control himself, he started crying. The joy of seeing his friends again was indescribable.

"There was no way we were giving up on you ! We're so glad to have you back," said Aneisha, with tears in her eyes. All five of them now had tears rolling down their faces. "We look like proper idiots," she said laughing. This made everyone laugh in pure relief. Even Dan was laughing and crying at the same time.

"Does this mean I can go to the toilet on my own now ?" asked Tom, wiping tears off his face.

"I'm not sure," said Aneisha. "Maybe Zoe should stand outside the door !" The nurse who came in to give Dan a sedative for the the night couldn't believe it when she found them all laughing hysterically together.

The End.


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